Czech women's volleyball team secures comeback win over Germany

Czech volleyball players secured their second win at the 2023 Women’s European Volleyball Championship after an epic game against Germany.

Competing on away territory in Düsseldorf, the Czech team won 3:2 after being two sets down. They went on to save two match points during the tiebreaker, ultimately triumphing in a thrilling match that spanned nearly three hours. The victory positions them favorably for qualification out of Czechia's group as the team prepares to face Sweden on Thursday.

The opening set saw Germany secure an advantage with their effective attacking strategies. Despite the Czech team's efforts to level the score at 20:20 after erasing a four-point deficit, Germany managed to secure the set with a sequence of four consecutive points, clinching it on the third set point following a momentary hesitation during Magdalena Jehlářová's serve.

Despite trailing 8:12 in the third set, the Czech team demonstrated its resilience with an impressive six-point streak that propelled them back into contention after narrowly winning the third set 26:24. The fourth set saw the Czechs enter their stride with a relatively comfortable 25:20 score, with the gripping fifth-set tiebreak eventually ending 18-16 for Czechia. The standout player of the match was Gabriela Orvošová, who contributed 24 points to her team's success. 

Notably, this win marked the first time the Czech team emerged victorious against Germany in a European Championship match since 1997 in Brno. Within the six-member group, the Czechs currently hold the fourth position with two wins and five points; the top four teams will advance to the round of 16.

Coach Jannis Athanasopoulos's squad had a mixed start in the tournament, with a surprising loss to Azerbaijan followed by a crucial victory over Greece that kept advancement hopes alive. Despite a valiant effort on Monday against the formidable favorites, Turkey, Czechia suffered a defeat. 

In the European Championships, the best result of the Czech women’s team came in 1997, when the squad finished in third position. In the Women's European Volleyball League, an annual tournament that sees more games being played, the Czech team has come top in 2012 and 2019.